CHRISTINE BANFIELD & JOSEPH RYAN: Virginia vs. Juliana Peres Magalhaes *GUILTY PLEA* & Brendan Banfield for double homicide *TRIAL IN PROGRESS*

Affluent Virginia suburb rocked by mansion murder mystery as nanny faces trial​

Juliana Peres Magalhaes is set to face trial in Fairfax County, Virginia, for second-degree murder in November​

Affluent Virginia suburb rocked by mansion murder mystery as nanny faces trial

A Brazilian au pair charged with murder in connection to a double homicide at her employers' suburban Fairfax County, Virginia, home in February 2023 is set to face trial.

www.foxnews.com

A bucolic Virginia neighborhood. A seemingly normal family of three. A Brazilian au pair. A double murder.

These are all parts of a complex puzzle investigators are still working to determine who killed Christine Banfield — a wife, mother and Fairfax County NICU employee — and Joseph Ryan, the 38-year-old man who showed up at her home armed with a knife, in Herndon, Virginia, in February 2023.

Part of that puzzle is in the process of being solved as Juliana Peres Magalhaes, Banfield's 23-year-old au pair and a Brazilian national, prepares to stand trial for second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime in Ryan's shooting death.

VIRGINIA AU PAIR MURDER: FETISH PLOT, AFFAIR, GUN RANGE TIED TO DOUBLE HOMICIDE AT HOME, PROSECUTORS REVEAL
The mystery began on Feb. 24, 2023, when Magalhaes told police she left Christine and husband Brendan Banfield's home in the 13200 block of Stable Brook Way in Herndon to take their young daughter to the National Zoo. She told authorities that she had begun driving but realized she forgot the lunches she packed for their excursion back inside the house, so she turned around and noticed an unfamiliar car in the driveway.

She then reportedly called Brendan, a former criminal investigative agent for the IRS who had at that point left for work, and told him about the unknown car in their driveway. The pair decided to meet at the Banfields' home and walk inside together, as the Washington Post reported.

Initially, Magalhaes told police that when she and Brendan walked inside, they saw an unknown man, Ryan, holding Christine at knifepoint. She allegedly described him as an intruder. Ryan was apparently fully clothed while Christine was naked in the main bedroom of the house.

It remains unclear exactly what transpired inside the home that Friday morning, but Magalhaes and Brendan apparently both admitted to shooting Ryan while the man was holding a knife to Christine. Ryan died inside the home while Christine suffered stab wounds to the neck and ultimately died in the hospital.

'We believe in justice for both' | Grand Jury indicts au pair in connection to man's death

Juliana Peres Magalhaes, 23, was indicted on charges of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

www.wusa9.com

 

[GrandmaBear]

Finally moving on. Now onto the "nanny" or au pair.

 

[GrandmaBear]

So he goes on and on with his own counsel leading him and I'm sure coached about what a good father and husband he was, interspersed with him making sure he dropped that he had a job that meant he was somebody, like getting promoted, traveling for work, Washington, DC he drops, a criminal investigation, that he was part of, etc...

I can't wait for cross, I've hardly watched this but hope I catch his testimony until the end.

Liar.

Going to be the women's fault I'm sure.

Then he talks about Mc Donald'\s. Ridiculous. And the Mc Donald's app.

He was teaching his daughter and just stellar dad he tried to get across.

I haven't watched much of it but tomorrow supposedly there is no court so I'd guess Friday we can catch cross on him unless defense keeps him on stand all day and then it would be Monday I'd think...

 

[GrandmaBear]

I actually listened to all his testimony today. imo bragging what a good dad he was, teaching his daughter and making teaching like things for her to do, what a good husband and dropping things meant to impress like DC, criminal investigator, etc. all related to him. Then he went to Mc Donald's and the Mc D app and cookies. Ridiculous. I haven't followed this case enough to say but now I will say this guy is full of himself and I guess thinks the jurors and the rest of us are dumb.

A recap.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Well I guess this is on today. Judge said otherwise I thought yesterday. Anyhow, already interesting. The P asked to add a witness to rebuttal list they didn't have on there because the person came forward after hearing Brendan's testimony yesterday and said they had info that contradicts something he said. He looked scared. GOOD. Lol.

 

[GrandmaBear]

 

[GrandmaBear]

Something so tragic and yet listening to this liar on the stand stumble over every word is getting old. I sure hope they get to cross soon, I think they'll tear him apart honestly. They are on 15 minute morning break at moment.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Cross exam time of defendant!!!!!!

 

[GrandmaBear]

I very much LOVE cross exams of defendants who decide to testify.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Cross is done. Lunch. After, redirect will come. His atty and him may take a long time, hard to say, but should be in verdict watch by end of today if goes as it should.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Defense finally rested. They had one witness after defendant. Some kind of spectro something sound "expert". Wasn't impressed.

Rebuttal to be today yet. P says 10 minutes with one witness 5 with another and that's it other than cross of course. Then jury instructions I believe today if that part is as short as they say, it's what judge said. So SHOULD be in verdict watch.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Break right now and will be back at 1/4 past the hour give or take.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I didn't watch enough of this trial to have a really good grasp on the chances and how each side did. I did hear some things, one time that neither side was blowing anything away, and then the other night that the defense atty just wasn't that great, and that came from another atty who admittedly does not like to knock other attys and judges, etc. but said with this defense atty., hard not to say that...

I have awtched the last two days, a lot of yesterday and all of today. He took the stand of course and cross of him was pretty darned good, not quit e the blow out I expected but pretty good. Then defense put on one more witness who I didn't feel impressive about voice spectro something kind of science. Then state had rebuttal phase and called two witnesses.

The first was imo a better sound expert than the D had by far and he was about say what HE heard on the recording in the background and an objection went up. Long sidebar and we didn't get to hear what that was darn it!! The next was one that I think came forward when he heard the defendant's testimony. Defendant had claimed he had had a meeting at work that day with his supervisor and that was untrue I guess. It ended with a pretty good point on that but I've seen bigger blowaways at trial but it was GOOD and the defendant was sweating bullets through both of these witnesses and his lies imo.

Then they possibly could have gotten jury instructions done or at least decidecd on but there is a debate over the various charges so research is going to be done tonight. Judge through rule was one way and the P understood it another way.

So it didn't end or go to jury today. "Sounds" like it will be on tomorrow and finish up and head for the jury. I'd hoped they'd have it tonight. I'm sure they hoped too.

From what I've seen I think the P did the best but I didn't watch the entire trial to know if they proved everything. I did watch a recap or two of some days.

That's all I've got.

I'm counting on a guilty verdict.

 

[GrandmaBear]

STS had Dr. G on, body language guy, was a good show.